One of the best known militia groups in the country is the Southeast Michigan Volunteer Militia, whose expansive website explains that its mission is to defend against disaster, crime, invasion, terrorism and tyranny, and we mention this in light of our Page 1 story which reports there is (or was) a sentiment among some local residents to establish a militia in these here parts.

There is a long history of militias — groups of well-armed citizens — that dates back, in this country, to before the Revolutionary War. Even before that fighting began, the colonialists had coopted the militia system, booted out people with British sympathies, and then went about combating what was in fact, a tyranny, in that there were burdensome taxes without any representation. That sure would stick in the modern craw.

Anyway, under the U.S. Constitution, as the SMVM correctly points out, if you are a United States citizen (or have declared your intent to become such), who is capable of bearing arms, or supports the right to do so, then you are the militia. Just not activated.

We can imagine a few scenarios where a militia — well regulated, of course — could still play a very useful societal role. Not defending against major disaster so much, perhaps, as ensuring that law and order does not break down in its aftermath, when the National Guard and police are stretched beyond their limits. Floods, fires and earthquakes can not only visit widespread hardship on the populace, but also bring looters out of the woodwork. A well-disciplined local militia, in these narrow circumstance, could be boon until the chaos subsided.

Where crime is concerned, we think that most people would prefer professionally trained police officers to handle whatever occurs, rather than a vigilante-style squad, though we can see why residents in areas of high infiltration by illegal aliens might argue in favor of grass roots protection. The illegal alien who chooses to enter the U.S. by way of Pittsburg in Coos County, though, is a rare duck.

The idea of a citizens’ militia, in these times, being needed to repulse an invasion, when the U.S. military is the most powerful fighting force in the history of the planet, is a bit far fetched, although Hollywood’s preoccupation with hostile intruders from outer space, may be clouding some people’s vision..

Next up is terrorism, and as the laudably efficient actions by the FBI, SWAT teams, helicopters and multiple police authorities have shown in Boston, coordinated responses to such dastardly attacks do not need a citizens’ militia component. Such an addition, in fact, would be unhelpful in such circumstances. The eyes and ears of a trained body of civilians, however, might well prove useful in thwarting the commission of certain terrorist acts, if — and it’s a very big if — it did not lead to the stereotyping and harassment of minority populations.

And that leaves us with tyranny. There is a passionate feeling among a sliver, or perhaps a slice, of the electorate that the Obama administration is hell-bent on violating aspects of the Constitution. Many feel, rightly or wrongly, that the right to bear arms would be compromised by expanding background checks on would-be gun purchasers, and others get a shiver down their back when the United Nations’ Agenda 21 is mentioned, as they believe property rights in this country will be usurped, via the Trojan horse, Granite State Futures.

If a small percentage of the people perceives approaching tyranny, while the majority of the population accepts the results that ensue from voting at local, state and federal level, and are comfortable with having the ability to throw the bums out of office, next time around, is that justification to form an armed militia?

In New Hampshire, it is merely a hypothetical question, as it is enshrined in the state’s own constitution that the governor would be the commander-in-chief of any militia. The political direction from which a militia is being explored is the opposite side of the compass from General Maggie Hassan.

Meanwhile, a UNH Survey Center poll finds that 72 percent of respondents are in favor of a U.S. constitutional amendment to limit campaign contributions. We think the amount of corrupting money now swirling around in U.S. politics, much of it from secret sources, is impossible for the average person to grasp, but, to quote Rochester 9-12 founder Jerry DeLemus, “The American people have gut instincts, they know something is wrong.”